Learning through Play
On the Blog...
Role Play to Real Life
We're so privileged to be able to take the car wherever we need to go, but we're probably not using public transport as often as we could. Because it's not...
Treasure Hunt
We do this so often for our 3 year old - they’re so easy to throw together and the best bit is that you can use the same hunt again...
Turning Recycling into Play
This play idea just keeps on giving. I poked holes in an empty dishwashing powder bottle and gave Etta a tub of cotton buds. What could have just been recycling...
Ice Breaker
Here’s your cue to freeze your toys and hand your toddler a mallet. August LOVED this activity and it kept him occupied for ages being an “Ice archeologist”. We explored...
How to Play when your Kids are at Different Ages and Stages
How YOU interact and respond can change the whole learning experience.For sure it's sometimes difficult, but when you join in with kids you can support them to play and learn...
Make Cleaning Fun!
Just like children are more likely to learn language around things they're interested in, they're also more likely to do tasks if their interests are woven into the narrative.Sometimes tidying...
End of the Day Sensory Play
Quick sensory bin set up whilst I cooked tea tonight. My toddler was tired from Preschool and was a bit dis regulated - sensory play is always helpful for calming...
Sink Slime
Its super fun and easy to clean up. If you’re wary of messy play, try setting your little one up in the sink. Sinks are often in easy to clean...
Fun Painting Activity
Draw pictures, patterns or write words on white paper with white crayon
Paint the page with watercolours to reveal messages as if by magic
Watch how this activity went here
Play Dough Play Idea
Make multiple colours of dough and mix them together to experiment with colour. If you start with red, blue and yellow, you can make purple, green and orange!Then you can...
How to Feed-in Language when your Child is really into Vehicles
If your kid really enjoys plying with vehicles, it can be really hard to model language. Because it is so mechanical, all I do is drive and drum and crash,...
Fine Motor Hack: Cutting and Sticking ✂️
Tape paper to the tables so your little one can focus on learning how to use their scissors. Draw lines on the paper for them to try and follow, or...
Making Potions: Playtime Hack
Making potions together is so much fun. Especially if you read 'Room on the Broom'.Find a big tub or bowl to be your cauldron and explore the garden to find...
Minimal Effort Messy Play
When toys get boring - you have to get creative. Instagram is full of glossy images of the perfect play set ups for kids but in reality - they don't...
Imagine there's food
I’ve modelled this strategy for so many early childhood teachers - I figured you guys might want in on it.I see it all the time - the kids with the...
Autumn Art
It's free to crunch in the autumn leaves, so we've been doing loads of it. We talk about autumn every day, pointing out the bare trees and the different...
Indoor Camping
Here's a gentle reminder to pitch a tent indoors! Especially if you're not a camping person (like me!). Kids love enclosed spaces - even when it's not all that enclosed...
Connetix Creations
We’re loving these at the moment so I had to do a post about them. Magnetic tiles are fab for so many reasons:🧐 fine motor skills - holding and manipulating...
Masking Tape Motorway
No road? No problem! Just make one out of tape! Auggie is showing more interest in driving his vehicles. In the absence of one of those road map rugs, I...
Sensory Play: Backyard Beach
We FaceTimed August’s grandparents and they were lying on the beach on Waiheke island. Through my jealousy that they are on holiday and I’m not, I had an idea! We...